By Gigi Mu?oz David

MEMBERS of the De la Paz family filed charges of child abuse and slight physical injuries against Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr., 27, and his brother Hussein, 30, for the mauling they received at a golf course in Antipolo.

Bino Lorenzo de la Paz, 14, and his sister Marie Dhel, 18, signed an 11-page complaint of child abuse, while their father, Delfin, 56, accused the Pangandaman brothers of causing slight physical injuries.

The brothers filed countercharges an hour later.

The De la Paz family?s lawyer, Raymond Fortun, told reporters a separate case would also be filed against the mayor?s father, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, on Wednesday.

?He may not be involved directly or indirectly but... he... uttered words that aided or abetted the rage of his sons,? Fortun said.

The lawyer said the De la Paz family would also seek the suspension of both Pangandamans while their cases were being heard.

?There was misconduct on their part, which should not be allowed to escape,? he said.

Fortun said he advised his clients to accept a settlement, but the Pangandamans made no ?earnest and sincere effort? to make amends.

An hour later, the Pangandamans filed countercharges of physical injuries against Delphin, Marie Dhel and Bino, and grave and light threats against Delfin, grave coercion and light threats against Delfin, Marie Dhel, Bino, Bruce de la Paz, an unidentified companion who held a baseball bat, and Delfin?s wife Maridel who brandished a knife.

The Pangandamans claimed in their sworn statement that the De la Pazes threatened them and prevented them from leaving the golf course through the main gate.

Pangandaman did not accompany his sons during the filing of the case.

Three caddies?Renato Legaspi, Santos Estrera and Ferdy de la Torre?stood as witnesses in favor of the Pangandamans.

Estrera said it was Delfin who hit the mayor first by closing a golf umbrella. ?Tinamaan niya si Mayor Nasser sa kaliwang braso nung payong na hawak niya.?

Nasser said he parried the thrust with his elbow, spilling his soft drink in the process, and admitted he punched Delfin ?in self-defense.?

It was at this point that Bino and Marie Dhel rushed to help their father stop their attackers, Nasser said in his affidavit.

Their story differed from that told by the De la Paz family, which said the mayor ordered his bodyguards to beat up Delfin when he complained about their playing through.

In her blog, Marie Dhel said when her 14-year-old brother pleaded with the mayor to stop his father?s beating, Pangan-daman punched him in the face.

Secretary Pangandaman did nothing to stop the violence while the mauling was taking place, Marie Dhel said.

In a brief statement, Antipolo City Mayor Vic Sumulong said: ?No one should be above the law?not even national officials.?